A Study Of Jack London's Ecological Ideas In The Call Of The Wild

Since last century, the common appearance of environmental problems made people rethink their relationship with nature. And because of the limitations of science technology, literature critics mushroomed to embrace centrally the social science and humanities, including philosophy and anthropology, and also holism, in the hope of solving the crisis and achieving the benign circle of ecosystem. Ecocriticism appeared in such situation. Cheryll Glotfelty, one of the main American advocates of ecocriticism, defined that ecocriticism studies the relationship between nature and physical environment. It takes an earth-centered approach to literary studies. Therefore, according to the definition, the major task of ecocriticism is to explore the relationship between human beings and nature, especially humans'side-effects on nature. The most practical meaning of ecocriticism is to arouse humans'ecological consciousness in the process of reflection and criticism. To analyze literature works from the aspects of ecocriticism has theoretical as well as practical meanings.Jack London (1876-1916) had a high reputation in literary world. He was one of the most prolific and talented writers in America in the early 20th century. He was famous for his North Tales and Animal Tales which are on the background of the Great Klondike Stampede. And the most famous one should be The Call of the Wild. Till on, the studies on Jack London's works mainly focus on the content, themes and writing skills. Some critics also analyze it from the perspective of naturalism and demonstrate the influence of environment and heredity on animals respectively. However, from the perspective of ecocriticism, this thesis finds London's ecological ideas reflected in The Call of the Wild.Jack London is a writer who has ecological awareness. In The Call of the Wild, by describing human-animal relationship, humans'limitless desire to gold and their action of abusing animals, Jack London criticized anthropocentrism. Anthropocentrism has been in the controlling status for thousands of years. And it is exactly anthropocentrism that led to humans'these bad behaviors. Besides his criticism of anthropocentrism, London showed directly or indirectly diseases of industrial civilization exposed and criticized its nature. People have limitless desires in a society where industrial civilization highly developed. And this caused the alienation of interpersonal relationship. In fact, interpersonal relationship has been materialized in such a background. Industrial civilization taught people how to use, exploit and squander natural resources. Meanwhile, this method was subtly transformed into both interpersonal and human-nature relationships. In The Call of the Wild, Jack London showed the alienation of human nature and degradation of moralities under industrial civilization in capitalist society. And all these expressed his wish to return to nature. In the end, with such wish, London actually envisions a new ecological paradigm based on a new human-nature harmony. Humans should consider the interests of the whole nature, take responsibilities to protect it and simplify their material lives. In this way, they can create a harmonious human-nature relationship which they can co-existence and co-development with nature.This thesis takes on a further research from the perspective of ecocriticism by criticizing anthropocentrism and industrial civilization in the novella. From the research, we can understand London's ecological awareness. Through the analysis, the author finds The Call of the Wild is a great work full of ecological ideas.